Thursday, February 17, 2011

Patsi of Garden Endeavors has very kindly passed on this award for my efforts on Keewee's Garden. I don't really "do awards" Being a person of few words, and at this time of the year, drowning in the winter blahs, I find nothing much of interest to blog about.So thank you Patsi for being one of my readers, shedding a ray of sunshine, and cheering me up with the award.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Today it was a balmy 45 degrees outdoors, but in my little protected vegetable garden it felt closer to 50 degrees. I took advantage of the lovely weather to put in a row of Green Arrow shell peas, which is a variety I have not grown before, so I will have to wait and see how they do. A row of Lacinato kale was also planted alongside the peas.

Got down on my hands and knees to pull more weeds from the gravel walkways surrounding the raised beds. Thankfully the weeds come up without any effort, so I am pleased I am almost done with the weeding, that is for now anyway.

Lovely weed free walkways around the beds.

I am getting that 'Spring tingle' and am ready to get started on the garden, but know it is early yet, as the official day for start of Spring is well over a month away, so I must curb my exuberance.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

This morning, I decided to begin cleaning up my vegetable garden. The weeds are starting to take over and it is much easier to pull them when the ground is damp and the soil still loose. I pulled most of the weeds from the raised beds, and next I have to work on getting rid of the ones growing on the paths surrounding the beds.

The weeds growing in the gravel surrounding the raised beds and recycled car tires I grow veggies in, are relatively easy to pull, but I gave up after about an hour as it is still too cold to stay out for too long. My fingers were quite painful until they warmed up. I will do just a little cleanup as the weather permits. I am going to get the peas in the raised beds very soon, and place row covers over them.

Sedum is making an appearance.

Daffodils in a pot by the front door .

And the Blueberries are starting to bud. I sure hope we don't get a severe cold snap as I am sure the blueberries will not survive.

Now! what to do about this little guy/gal. It really is the cutest , most friendly little creature, but it has made a home in my fenced front garden. Yes I did say fenced, a fence which is two feet tall surrounds the flower garden and this is the only rabbit which has jumped over the fence easy as you please. I have sprayed, on several occasions, Liquid fence around the perimeter of the garden and also all over the plants. The rabbit took off the first time the spray came near it, but it is there back inside the fence every morning. I guess I will just have to get the spray out and chase it away every time I see it. Perhaps in this way I can at least discourage it from being inside the fence.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

This morning we have frost coating the outdoors, and our furnace decided to quit. Fortunately all it took was a push of the reset button, and away it went. I hate being cold.On cold days like this, my thoughts wander to the upcoming Spring, and what flowers I will grow this season. A few days ago I bought myself a small bouquet of flowers and nestled in amongst the carnations and mums was one lovely Gerbera. In the past, I have seen these lovely plants in the local garden center, but passed them by going instead for annuals I know will do well here. This year however, I think I will try my luck at growing gerberas, as the flowers are so pretty and last for quite a while in a vase.Have any of you living here in the Pacific Northwest had any luck growing gerberas, and if so what hints do you have to pass on?